Saint Quote of the Day: Saint John Chrysostom

Reflect then how great an evil it is for us, who ought to live so purely as not even to need written words, but to yield up our hearts, as books, to the Spirit; now that we have lost that honor, and are come to have need of these, to fail again in duly employing even this second remedy. For if it be a blame to stand in need of written words, and not to have brought down on ourselves the grace of the Spirit; consider how heavy the charge of not choosing to profit even after this assistance, but rather treating what is written with neglect, as if it were cast forth without purpose, and at random, and so bringing down upon ourselves our punishment with increase.

– Saint John Chrysostom from a homily on the Gospel of Matthew

Saint John Chrysostom's patronage: Constantinople; epilepsy; Istanbul, Turkey; lecturers; orators; preachers; speakers.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Luigi Orione

Without Prayer nothing good is done. God's works are done with our hands joined, and on our knees. Even when we run, we must remain spiritually kneeling before Him.

– Saint Luigi Orione

Saint Luigi Orione's patronage: Sons of Divine Providence.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Columbanus

If you are thirsty, drink from the fountain of life; if you are hungry, eat the bread of life. Blessed are they who hunger for that bread and thirst for that fountain; they eat and drink forever and still they desire to eat and drink. For it is lovely above all things, that which is always eaten and drunk, always hungered and thirsted for. Thus David, king and prophet, was moved to say: taste and see that the Lord is good.

– Saint Columbanus

Saint Columbanus’ patronage: Motorcyclists; against floods.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

– Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina's patronage: Pietrelcina, Italy; civil defense volunteers; adolescents; stress relief; January blues; Italy; Malta.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Catherine of Bologna

Sometimes the devil inspires souls with an inordinate zeal for a certain virtue or some special pious exercise, so that they will be motivated by their passion to practice it more and more. This temptation is more to pride rather than virtue....Sometimes, on the other hand, the devil coaches souls to do less than they can really do. This temptation is more to false humility...In both cases, the devil's goal is to make the soul discouraged when the virtue is found to be unattainable; and to be wearied and disgusted if his efforts are below his abilities. The soul ends up neglecting everything. It is necessary to overcome the one snare as the other.

– Saint Catherine of Bologna

Saint Catherine of Bologna's patronage: Bologna; Against temptations; Artists; Liberal arts.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint John of God

If we look forward to receiving God’s mercy, we can never fail to do good so long as we have the strength. For if we share with the poor, out of love for God, whatever He has given to us, we shall receive according to His promise a hundredfold in eternal happiness. What a fine profit, what a blessed reward! With outstretched arms He begs us to turn toward Him, to weep for our sins, and to become the servants of love, first for ourselves, then for our neighbors. Just as water extinguishes a fire, so love wipes away sin.

– Saint John of God from a letter

Saint John of God's patronage: Booksellers; heart patients; hospitals; nurses; the sick; the dying and firefighters.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Teresa Margaret (Redi) of the Sacred Heart

I have been thinking about the text that was preached on Sunday, the unforgiving servant. We come to the great King of Heaven with empty hands, in debt to Him for everything: life itself, and grace, and all the gifts He lavishes on us. Yet all we can say is, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all I owe,’ while all the time we could never pay anything towards the remission of our own debts, if God did not put into our hands the means to do so. And then, how often do we go away and refuse pardon for some slight fault in our neighbors, withholding our love, remaining aloof, or even nursing a grievance against them, and building up grudges that cool charity.

– Saint Teresa Margaret (Redi) of the Sacred Heart